Tell Me A Joke
by TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne
Summary: Raven doesn't like jokes. Will she ever ask for a joke? One shot. Complete.


"Booyah!" Cyborg's voice boomed as he regained the lead in the GameStation racing game. Robin frowned, but did not complain, instead he let his fingers do the talking, as he furiously clicked away at the buttons on the game controller.

Raven was sitting at the kitchen table, reading one of her ancient books, tuning out the ruckus on the couch. She sipped on a mug of tea while nibbling on a scone; her attention focused 100% on her book.

And so it went for the following hour. Cyborg and Robin played the game dozens of times, with each winning on more than one occasion. This time they were neck to neck and were just as focused as Raven was on her book, which is why they didn't hear the doors slide open.

Beast Boy, who was dancing by himself and without the company of music, entered the room. He stopped and raised his arms.

"Who wants to hear a joke!?" He shouted with glee. "I just learned a new one and it's hilarious!"

No one turned around.

"Heelloooo! I said I have a new joke." He shouted.

Robin and Cyborg continued playing as if they didn't hear him. The Changeling ran to the couch.

"C'mon, Cy! Don't you want to hear my joke?"

The Tin Man's brow was sweating from his deep concentration.

"Not now, B. I'm busy."

The green Titan switched his focus to his fearless leader.

"I'll you the joke, Robin! It's a zinger! What's ..."

"Now's not a good time, Beast Boy! Go away! "

The changeling grumbled as he walked away from the couch. He then saw Raven reading her book at the table. He hesitated at first, but since there was no one else around, he approached her. Before he could open his mouth, without even looking up from her book she cut him off.

"I don't like jokes." She deadpanned.

"Aw c'mon, Raven! This is a good joke."

"Somehow, I doubt it." She replied without taking her eyes off her book.

"But, Raven, it's a really good ..."

She raised a barrier between them. "I'm busy."

"But ..."

"Go. Away."

The poor changeling was about to concede defeat when Starfire entered the room. She was carrying the mail that had just been delivered to the Tower. Beast Boy's winning smile reappeared on his face.

"Hey, Star; wanna hear a joke?"

She put down the box with the day's mail was on the table and began to jump as she clapped her hands.

"Oh, yes, yes! I always enjoy the Earthly humor, even though I do not always understand it. Please proceed with the telling of the joke!"

"Don't worry Star, you're gonna love this one. OK, here goes … what's black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white …?"

The princess scratched her chin, looking deep in thought. Suddenly suddenly she snapped her fingers.

"I know!" She announced in an excited voice. It is a spotted grishnak. They are very rare on Tamaran."

"A spotted what?" He replied.

"A grishnak. It is a Tamaranian predator. Some would describe it as a cross between an Earthly crocodile with a teddy bear."

The changeling was at a loss for words until he finally found his voice.

"Actually, Star; that's not the right answer."

She nodded. "Of course, it is an Earthly joke, the answer would not be a spotted grishnak, as there are none on Earth. I do the giving up, so please tell me what is the black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white?"

The changeling snickered.

"It's a penguin rolling down a hill!"

The alien broke out in joyous laughter.

"Oh, friend; that is the funny!"

He turned triumphantly to Raven, who was still reading her book.

"See, Raven? I told you the joke was funny!"

Without looking up, she replied. "That's not a joke, it's a riddle."

"Yeah, but it's also a joke because it's funny."

"Also incorrect." She droned in her gravelly voice.

The changeling became red faced. "Someday, Raven; I'll get you to smile, even laugh; you'll see!"

"Actually, you already did that."

"I did? When?"

The day we were at the amusement park, you were trying to flirt with some girls when you slipped on a banana peel and fell on your butt. Now that was funny."

He became even redder. "That doesn't count."

"It did for me." She calmly replied as she turned another page.

Beast Boy stomped away into the kitchen to get a snack while Starfire began to hand out the mail. He was still rummaging through the fridge when she approached him, with his mail.

"Beast Boy, there is very important looking letter for you."

Unable to find anything interesting to eat, he closed the fridge door and turned to her. She handed him a large, white letter sized enveloped that had the US State Department as the return address. He looked rather surprised and paused before opening it. He pulled out the cover letter and read it. To everyone's surprise, he dropped the letter on the floor. Robin and Cyborg had just finished their race.

"Beast Boy, are you OK?" Robin asked.

"What did the letter say?" Starfire asked.

The green Titan pulled a chair from the table and sat down.

"They found my parents." He announced in a voice devoid of all emotion.

Raven sensed a wave of grief emanating from him. She closed her book and focused her full attention on him. She picked up the letter and quickly read it.

"Glorious! They have found your parents, who you believed to be dead."

"They are dead. They found their remains. They've identified them, but the government of Lamumba won't release them until a DNA test is done. They're sending an airplane for me tomorrow." He muttered.

He rose from the table. "I think I want to be alone." He left the room without saying anything else. Raven handed the letter to Robin, who also read it.

"That has to be hard. I also watched my parents die, but at least they didn't disappear like Beast Boy's did. I know he blames himself for their deaths and now, after all these years, they find their remains, it opens up his wound all over again."

"What should we do?" Starfire asked. "I do not like to see our friend suffer."

Robin shook his head. "There's nothing we can do. He's gonna have to come to terms with this on his own."

Raven gave her leader a skeptical look, but said nothing before resuming reading her book.

 _ **-( - )-**_

 _The next day …_

Beast Boy was finishing packing his suitcase. Out of the corner of his eye he saw it. It was in his bookcase, a photo of him and his parents, taken before the green monkey bit him. He picked it up, and his eyes became watery. It was the only picture he had of them. Mento found it in the wreckage of their home in the village, which the villagers ransacked when they were told that the Logans had perished in an accident at the waterfall. The original was severely damaged but Cyborg spent hours using his best algorithms to reconstruct the image and printed a repaired copy for his friend, which he now held in his hands. He placed it in his suitcase which he snapped shut.

He looked at the clock on the wall. It would soon be time to head for the airport. As he reached for the suitcase's handle there was a knock on the door. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. He didn't need to ask who it was, he could smell her unique scent through the door.

"Garfield, you haven't come out of your room since that letter arrived." She shouted through the door.

"I know."

Raven recalled his words from the day Malchior betrayed her.

"Garfield, you think you're alone; but you're not."

He sat down on the edge of his bed.

"You're wrong, I am alone."

"That's not true."

"It is. I was alone when the monkey bit me. I was alone when my parents died. I was alone when I quit the Doom Patrol. I was alone when Terra betrayed me. Can't you see Raven, I've always been alone."

Raven bowed her head. While she couldn't see him through the door, she could feel his loneliness and grief. It was all too familiar for her, it was as if she was looking in a mirror and seeing herself. She raised her head and cleared her throat before replying.

"Tell me a joke."

"What did you say?"

"I want you to tell me a joke."

There was pregnant pause before his door slid open. He ran out and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him and gently caressed his head. After a minute or so he released her. It was then that he noticed that her suitcase was on the floor, next to her.

"Raven, uh, why is your suitcase packed?"

"Because I'm going with you."

"You are? Why?"

She placed her hand behind his head and pulled him into a firm but chaste kiss.

"That's why. They're waiting for us in the T-car to take us to the airport, so let's get going,"

He grabbed his suitcase and they made their way to the garage. He reached out and took her hand, which she accepted. As they continued to walk he broke the silence.

"I have tons of great jokes."

She stopped walking and kissed him again. Taking his hand she resumed walking,

"Garfield, we're having a very special moment, one that we'll probably remember for the rest of our lives."

She stopped walking and looked him the eyes.

"Don't ruin it."

He nodded his assent and they resumed walking, He smiled.

 _I'll tell her the jokes later._

THE END


End file.
